


🌿Reconnecting🌿

by GreyWardenIsla



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:08:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26543440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyWardenIsla/pseuds/GreyWardenIsla
Summary: Special thanks to amazing editor(The_wolf_of_fereldan) and you should check then out on Instagram for their amazing works💖





	🌿Reconnecting🌿

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to amazing editor(The_wolf_of_fereldan) and you should check then out on Instagram for their amazing works💖

Isla would be lying if she said that what she was about to do didn't make her so nervous. she felt as though she was back facing the Archdemon from the fifth blight. she'd probably rather be there, in the fortress of the Inquisitor, eyes moving from the ramparts floors to the door that lay in front of her. The door led to the room of one esteemed Commander Cullen Rutherford of the Inquisition’s army, a man who Isla had not seen in years. Not since the horrors of the Ferelden Circle. 

With a big, deep breath and a soft exhale, Isla pushed forward on her right foot, knocking on the door with the necessary amount of force needed to make a sound, and then waited, swaying on her toes to her heel. When a soft“who’s there” sounded, barely making its way through the door Isla began to feel the nerves tighten her throat. 

"I-its me," a shuffling was heard, causing Isla to pause for a moment, words caught in her throat. "I-Isla….it's Isla, Cullen." The silence was unbearable and Isla was beginning to sweat, the moments ticking by as she tried to listen for anything. A minute had passed before the shuffling could be heard again, Isla began wondering if he was planning to escape through a different door, maybe he would pretend she'd never even been there. Instead, she heard the shuffling get closer, and then the door creaked open as the blonde-haired man standing just behind, peered out.

The Warden-Commander took in Cullen's appearance for a moment, memories flooding back even stronger. He'd dropped the Templar attire completely and his hair no longer curled and tangled together on his forehead, instead being combed and tamed. He'd become taller since the last time they'd met, though Isla felt that was the same for most, not seeming to have grown much at all in terms of height, though he seemed to retain that same awkwardness that plagued his past self in the circle.

"I...um," Cullen started, stammering at almost every word, wide eyes trying to make sense of why she was even here. "Ah, come in. It's freezing outside," the man finally sputtered out, moving aside and opening the door further for the Commander to step inside. The grey warden took tentative steps, eyes moving around the room recognizing it reminded her of some of the rooms of the circle. Isla walked to the man's bookcase, taking note of all the books and strategies, wars, and the histories of magic. "H-how have you been?" The man continued, drawing the Commander’s attention away from the books. "I mean it's been ah…."

"Over 10 years,"

"Yes, it...it has,"

A silence settled over the room, neither person wanting to upset the other or possibly push traumatic or harmful memories into the minds of each other. But that would get them nowhere. 

"I-" Isla began, however, Cullen cut her off, taking a step towards her. 

"I'm sorry-" he said, catching Isla off guard and making her close her mouth in curiosity to what he was going to say. "What happened at the circle...what I did there," he said, voice tensing and almost cracking at a moment's notice. The man raised his fist and coughed into it, straightening his back and smoothing out his hair with the fist he had coughed into. "What I said was no doubt out of place and I have no excuses that could make up for the hurt that was in those words."

Isla watched him with intent, eyes moving as he began to pace, something Cullen still seemed to have to this day - a quirk she used to find cute back in her days of complete innocence. 

"Cullen?" The Commander questioned, taking a step towards him, the man stopping after a few steps, his eyes focused on the Commander showing that she had his undivided attention. "I know what you said those years ago weren't true...to an extent obviously," she spoke, her arms coming up to cradle Cullen, eyes darting to the floor as she continued. "I couldn't imagine what you went through. No wonder you hated mages, myself included. The very people you were sworn to protect betrayed you for what?" She said, throwing her hands up in the air for a moment. "I'll never know and I don't think I ever want to either," She muttered, her rant coming to an end.

A silence settled amongst the two, seeping its way into the very cracks of their guilt, their sadness, and their anger. Isla let out a sigh, but Cullen responded to what she had said first.

"It is strange, I admit. I thought you'd tell me how much of a fool I'd been. A child angry at the world," he chuckled at the last part, the Commander’s face froze. 

"Why would I say anything close to that?" She asked, stepping forward. "Yes your words stung, especially because of how I felt at the time, but that's beyond the point." She stubbornly huffed.

"Then what is the point you're trying to make?" He uttered, sitting on the very edge of his desk, folding his arms over his chest, foot coming to scratch behind his lower leg. 

"The point is Rhian told me you blamed yourself for those words and you shouldn't. I would have said the same if I was in your position, so would anyone else in the circle." She spoke slowly, eyes never wavering from his gaze, causing shivers of fear and anxiety to coarse down his spine. The Hero of Ferelden, she definitely was. 

"So….that's what you wanted to tell me?" He said. "That I should forgive myself?" 

"Yes.." she stated quickly, though she hesitated when she realized that she wanted to say so much more. "But also….I'd like to be friends again Cullen." 

"Really?"

"Of course! It's why I said it," she laughed softly, both parties defusing, shoulders relaxing and frames going to their natural stances. "Unless you don't want to?"

"No, I'd-" He cleared his throat, a blush covering his cheeks for a moment as he saw Isla's half-smirk. "I'd love to be friends, Isla." He finished, returning a small smile to her. "But you have been influenced by Alistair. I never knew you were so teasing,"

"Blame him and Morrigan! You'll never survive if you don't learn to tease them!" 

"Oh really?" With a nod from Isla, their conversation continued, far into the night, reminiscing about their old lives, ones before they became known to the world outside of the circle and exchanging stories of their adventures, words melding into laughter as bridges were rebuilt and bonds forged anew.


End file.
